Cognitive behaviour therapy in medication-treated adults with ADHD and persistent symptoms: a randomized controlled trial.

• Published in: BMC Psychiatry
• Main Authors: Emilsson, Brynjar, Gudjonsson, Gisli, Sigurdsson, Jon F, Baldursson, Gisli, Einarsson, Emil, Olafsdottir, Halldora, Young, Susan
• Other Authors: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, UK.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central 2012
• Subjects: Adult; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Cognitive Therapy; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychotherapy; Group; Self Report; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/223573; https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-11-116

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field. BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood is not fully treated by psychopharmacological treatment alone. The main aim of the current study was to evaluate a newly developed cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based group programme, the Reasoning and Rehabilitation for ADHD Youths and Adults (R&R2ADHD), using a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: 54 adults with ADHD already receiving psychopharmacological treatment were randomly allocated to an experimental (CBT/MED) treatment condition (n = 27) and a 'treatment as usual' (TAU/MED) control condition (n = 27) that did not receive the CBT intervention. The outcome measures were obtained before treatment (baseline), after treatment and at three month follow-up and included ADHD symptoms and impairments rated by independent assessors, self-reported current ADHD symptoms, and comorbid problems. RESULTS: The findings suggested medium to large treatment effects for ADHD symptoms, which increased further at three month follow-up. Additionally, comorbid problems also improved at follow-up with large effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings give support for the effectiveness of R&R2ADHD in reducing ADHD symptoms and comorbid problems, an improving functions associated with impairment. The implications are that the benefits of R&R2ADHD are multifaceted and that combined psychopharmacological and CBT based treatments may add to and improve pharmacological interventions. RANNIS the Icelandic Centre for Research 080443022 Landspitali Science Fund Janssen-Cilag, Iceland Janssen-Cilag Shire Novatis Eli-Lilly Flynn-Pharma